Chapter – 3 (Three) Research Methodology 3.1 Introduction The present part of the study is about the methodology that has been adopted in order to carry out the present study. Methodology acts as a guide in conducting research studies and hence, mentioning the methodology is required to know the research design on the basis of which the research study would be carried out. The present chapter begins with the identification research questions, delineates the objectives aimed to be achieved and the hypotheses to be tested. The chapter also presents the framework of the study and the research design adopted in order to derive at the result and inferences with regard to the “Marketing Practices of Women Entrepreneurs of Manipur with reference to select Marketing Mix”. The framework of the study delineates the step wise process through which the study has been conducted. The relevant research methods and tools which have been employed are also mentioned in this chapter. It is structured in such a way that it begins with the identification of the nature of present research study, then continues with the identification of the respective tools and techniques that can be used under the specific type of research, also the identification of the data that are required for the study and the procedure of collecting the required data; and next is the verification of the sources from which data are to be obtained involving identification of the population of the study and from it, obtaining the required sample size of the study, designing of the tool for obtaining data from the sources such as questionnaire and personal field interview, and finally ends with the framing of the design for analysis and interpretation of the collected data so as to enable to form a basis [97] for drawing conclusions and then making suggestions to the women entrepreneurs of Manipur for better performance and effectiveness in marketing their products. 3.2 Research Questions The research issues and the research gap which lead the researcher in arising some research questions with regard to marketing practices of women entrepreneurs of Manipur are as follows: I. What is the educational status of women entrepreneurs of Manipur? II. What types of marketing practice are followed by women entrepreneurs of Manipur with regard to Product? III. What types of marketing practice are followed by women entrepreneurs of Manipur with regard to Price? IV. What types of marketing practice are followed by women entrepreneurs of Manipur with regard to Promotion? V. Does the nature of social system in Manipuri society influence in developing marketing practices among the women entrepreneurs of Manipur? VI. Whether educational status of women entrepreneurs of Manipur has influenced on their marketing practices or not? 3.3 Objectives of the Study Based on the research questions, for the present study the objectives which have been developed are as follows: General: To examine the educational qualification of women entrepreneurs of Manipur and to identify the marketing practices followed by them. [98] Specific: I. To identify the marketing practices of women entrepreneurs of Manipur with regard to Product. II. To identify the marketing practices of women entrepreneurs of Manipur with regard to Price. III. To identify the marketing practices of women entrepreneurs of Manipur with regard to Promotion. IV. To investigate how the marketing practices are developed among women entrepreneurs of Manipur. V. To offer suggestions, if any. 3.4 Hypotheses of the Study The working hypotheses which have been developed for the study are presented as: 1. There is no significant difference between educational qualification of women entrepreneurs of Manipur and their marketing practices with regard to Branding and Labelling of the products. 2. There is no significant difference between the pricing method and the choice of business type by women entrepreneurs of Manipur. 3. There is no significant difference between educational qualification of women entrepreneurs of Manipur and using of modern marketing practices with regard to promotion of products. 4. There is no significance difference between the social system of Manipur and the development of different marketing practices with regard to three P(s) of marketing mix among the women entrepreneurs of Manipur. [99] 3.5 Structure of the Study The research study “Marketing Practices of Women Entrepreneurs of Manipur is carried out in a definite structure which is laid down in the figure 1.1. Identify the problem to be investigated in the study Explore Related Theory and Literature; Confirm Research Motives and Objective; Verify the Variables Design research method; Identify the data acquisition methods and techniques – developed questionnaire and field interview technique Prepare and Arrange for face to face interview along with the pre and post cases related papers and documents Compile the papers and documents of Interview and Arrange for Analysis and Interpretation of the Results Draft the Conclusions and Suggestions Figure 3.1: The structural process for carrying out the research study. Source: Compiled by the researcher [100] 3.6 Research Methodology Research as identified by authors is basically classified into four types according to their nature, viz. – descriptive, analytical, exploratory, fundamental/pure and action research. Each of these types of research has different approaches or ways of carrying out. C.C Crawford defines research as a systematic and refined technique of thinking, employing specialised tools, instruments and procedures in order to obtain a more adequate solution for a problem than would be possible under ordinary means (Singh, 2006)1. While, Kothari (2014)2 has put forward the definition of research methods as those methods which are used by the researcher during the course of studying his research problem and research methodology as the science of studying the various steps that are generally adopted by a researcher in studying his research problem along with the logic behind them. From this definition, it can be known that research methodology acts as the guideline to researchers in carrying out different types of research. It provides the framework for carrying out the research of a particular nature by serving as a basis of logic and reasoning to the researchers in applying the various methods and tools/techniques available for carrying out a particular research study. For the purpose of conducting the present study ‘Marketing Practices of Women Entrepreneurs of Manipur with reference to select Marketing Mix’ the research methodology comprises of the steps laid down in an orderly manner: 1. Identification of the Nature of Research and the type of research design that would be employed in the study. 1 Singh, Y. K. (2006). Fundamental of Research Methodology and Statistics. New Delhi: New Age International (P) Limited Publishers. 2 Kothari, C. R. & Garg, G. (2014). Research Methodology: Methods and Techniques. Mumbai: New Age International (P) Limited Publishers. [101] 2. Identification of the type of data required and the process of obtaining the required data. 3. Framing of the sampling design which would become the source of obtaining the required primary data. 4. Framing of the questionnaire design on the basis of the review of theories and literatures in lieu of the objectives and hypotheses of the study. 5. Identifying the scope of the study which involves delineating the aspects which would be covered under the present study. 6. Identifying the time period during which the present study would be conducted. 7. Identifying the geographical area where the present study would be carried out. 8. Framing of the analysis design that defines the type of statistical tools used in the study for analysis purposes and also for the purpose of drawing inferences/conclusions. 9. Framing of the chapter wise plan/scheme in which the study would be presented. 3.6.1 Nature of Research Generally studies conducted on marketing research by business enterprises are exploratory in nature. Exploratory research is one which is conducted in new areas of inquiry, where the goals of research are: to scope out the magnitude or extent of a particular phenomenon, problem or behaviour; to generate some initial ideas about that phenomenon; and to test the feasibility of undertaking a more extensive study regarding [102] that phenomenon (Bhattacherjee, 2012)3. It involves formulation of hypotheses rather than testing it and requires inbuilt flexibility in order to carry out such research (Kothari, 2004) 4 . However, the present study “Marketing Practices of Women Entrepreneurs of Manipur with reference to select Marketing Mix” is concerned with finding out the facts related to marketing practices of women entrepreneurs of Manipur. In brief, the purpose of the research study is to report and describe the marketing phenomenon of women entrepreneurs of Manipur, that is, what are the marketing practices of women entrepreneurs of Manipur, how marketing practices have been developed among women entrepreneurs of Manipur, to provide an understanding as to why it is important to conduct such kind of study in the context of Manipur and finally to make suggestions/recommendations to women entrepreneurs of Manipur for improvement and modification in their practice with regard to marketing of their products. According to Singh (2006)5 “those researches whose objective is to find out facts or events are by nature descriptive. However, if the researches are dependent upon the experience or observation of phenomena and events and generation of a series of expected results or hypotheses and statistically analysing the variables under observation then such type of research is an empirical research”. Kothari (2004)6 has mentioned that in case of descriptive research, the researcher has no control over the variables; he can only report what has happened or what is happening. Nevertheless, descriptive research is not confined to fact gathering expedition only; rather it is the 3 Bhattacherjee, A. (2012). Social Science Research: Principles, Methods and Practices.